


In Character

by Vector



Category: Tales of Vesperia
Genre: Cosplay, F/F, New Game Plus Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-04
Updated: 2010-04-04
Packaged: 2017-10-08 17:27:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/77832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vector/pseuds/Vector
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Estelle has a plan for a follow-up performance to Brave Vesperia's play.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Character

Estelle takes a deep breath. Alright, it's time to do this. "Rita, Rita, guess what I found!"

Rita looks up instantly from her own stack of books. "A long lost appendix to Hermes's memoirs?"

"Even better! I found a sequel to the play we performed in!"

"How exactly is that _better_? That play was stupid." Rita crosses her arms.

"No, no, I'm sure this one is good," Estelle says. "I only read the beginning, but you have to help rehearse it with me!"

Rita sighs. "Don't we need Yuri and everyone?"

"No, of course not. The dark lord was _defeated_."

"Then what is this play even about?" Rita asks, but when Estelle blinks a few times and opens her mouth to explain she says, "...Never mind. I need a break anyway."

"Yay! Then let's go get changed," Estelle takes Rita's hand.

"Wait, _changed_?" Her eyes widen, but she lets Estelle lead her away.

* * *

Rita glares at the mirror. "This costume is still ridiculous," she comments over her shoulder.

"Oh, I don't know, I think you look very pretty," Estelle says, and Rita turns away to finish pinning up her hair. "You make a good princess."

Estelle straightens her coattails and fidgets with the edge of her glove. "Your costume is better," Rita says without looking back at her. "It suits you."

Estelle smiles widely. "Thank you, Rita!"

"It's only the truth." Rita tugs up her stockings and flattens the ruffles of her underskirt before turning back around. "So how does this go?"

"Well, the hero and the princess have returned victorious, but despite their mighty deeds, the king is too worried that his daughter will be taken away again, and he keeps her locked away in the castle."

"This sounds kind of familiar," Rita interjects.

"Shh, let me finish." Estelle takes a breath and starts again. "However, the hero and the princess formed a strong bond during their journeys, and they want more than anything to see each other."

"So you sneak into the castle, is that it?" Rita smiles slightly.

"No!" Estelle starts, "I mean, sort of." She continues seriously, "The hero tries to come to meet her at the same time that the princess sneaks out on her own, so they meet accidentally in the courtyard."

"And that's the scene you want to do?"

Estelle nods.

Rita crosses her arms. "Why would the princess wear something this fancy if she was trying to sneak out?"

Estelle has to admit she has a point. "She, um. That is, I—I just thought—"

"...Never mind. It's fine." Rita brushes the skirt flat again. "Where do we start?"

* * *

"Oh, my heroine!" Rita cries out awkwardly. "It's been too long!"

"I couldn't last a minute longer without being by your side, Princess," Estelle responds. Too easily, maybe. She deliberately glances down at her script.

"I thought the same." Rita glances down for her line and then puts a hand to her mouth dramatically. "But we can't stay here long, the guards patrol too frequently! What if one tried to arrest you?"

"If he came between us before we even got a chance to talk, I'd knock any guard that dared into next week," Estelle says. She'd been particularly proud of that part.

Rita smiles, which somewhat dampens the sincerity of her next line. "Oh, but then we'd only end up fighting more. Let's hide and wait for the guards to pass.—What, no dramatic fight scenes?"

"I'm sure those come later," Estelle says in an undertone, then continues, "Very well, if you think it best, princess." She takes Rita's hand and leads her to the other side of the room. Hidden together beneath the shadows of the balustrade draped with vines, peering out at the empty night...

Now is the moment of truth. Rita flips to the next page in her script and her eyes widen. "Estelle..."

"Shh, Rita, stay in character!" Estelle whispers before turning her own script and glancing at the next stage direction. _The hero and the princess kiss in the shadows._ She looks back up at Rita, who's staring straight at her in silence, with visible surprise. And she can't do it. "I—I'm sorry, Rita." She backs away and sets the script down.

"Estelle," Rita says flatly after a long moment.

Estelle stares down at the table. "I didn't know—We don't have to—You're not having any fun with this, are you?"

"_Estelle_." Rita says again, and she turns to look at her. Rita's holding up her copy of the script. "I can recognize your handwriting, you know, even if the story didn't make it obvious."

Oh. "Um."

"Did you think I wouldn't notice? Did you think I..." Rita doesn't finish her sentence.

"I'm sorry," Estelle says helplessly.

"Don't _apologize_." Rita blushes bright red. "You don't need that play. I don't need it. You're a hero anyway, Estelle. I'd..." She trails off, then squeezes her eyes closed and says all in a rush, "I'd kiss you whenever you wanted!"

Estelle suddenly feels the way you do when a plot twist takes you by surprise, but in a way you could have seen coming if you'd known what to look for, all the pieces falling into place. And she realizes she's been following the wrong script. "Oh." She wrings her hands together, embarrassed. But then Rita turns away, so she opens her mouth again. "Then... Then I would like you to."

Rita turns back around, her face still red. She looks almost angry. "How can you say that? Are you sure? I'm not a princess. I can't... I don't know how to be a princess. Or treat a princess. I can't be what you need me to be."

"I need _you_, Rita," Estelle says without thinking, and realizes it's true. Rita stares at her, wide-eyed, and she continues. "You're my best friend, and you're pretty and smart and strong. You're amazing, and I like you a lot." Now Estelle can feel herself blushing. "Will you kiss me? Please?"

Rita's mouth opens but she doesn't say anything. Eventually she nods once, and takes a step toward Estelle, but hesitates before coming any closer. Estelle makes a decision and closes the distance, her heart pounding in her chest. She hooks an arm around Rita's waist like she'd imagined the hero doing in the story, pulls her close, and kisses her.

It's better than she could have imagined. Rita smells like smoke and chalk and books, and as soon as their lips meet she kisses back fiercely. Warmth rushes through Estelle's body in waves. She brushes hair away from Rita's face lightly with her free hand, wishing she wasn't wearing a gauntlet.

After a moment she breaks the kiss. "I'm sorry about all this," she says, looking down at their costumes. "I was being silly."

Rita's still flushed, but she's smiling more widely than Estelle has ever seen. "Yeah, you were." She scratches under her tiara. "But I guess I don't mind being silly occasionally. If it's you. Just tell me next time, okay?"

"Of course," Estelle says, half-laughing, and kisses her again.


End file.
